Large Grass Warbler taxonomy

[MKinHK]

A Large Grass Warbler was found dead this morning near my office in Hong Kong.

It seems likely that our birds are distinct from the birds in N India, as they are seperated by a large distance and have different habitat preferences - our are in hilltop grasslands.

There are very few records from elsewhere in China - just one from Guangxi that I am aware of, although there are also historical records from Hainan. Bearing this in mind is it worth considering a review to see if the S China birds are different from the Indian ones?

If they are different I suspect that its Birdlife conservation status would change (possibly to "data deficient").

My question is: Has any one done DNA work on either of these taxa, or would anyone be interested to do some? We have an opportunity to take material for DNA work with this specimen.

Cheers
Mike

[cuckooroller]

Hi Mike,

For those not used to the HM Nomenclature. In object is Graminicola bengalensis, aka Rufous-rumped Grassbird.

Mike I hope that if the dead bird was in good condition that you would have taken some good photos and will post them to HKBWS Forum. The bird is rarely recorded even in India, and images useful for identification purposes are lacking.

I tried to do a quick lit search and couldn't find anything indicating any recent reviews of the genus. I am sure that you strongly suspect, as do I, that genetic material is very scarse. It surely would not be a bad idea to take DNA samples and float some RFI's in merit perhaps through the OB list-server.

BTW, according to the HM, the Hainan records you mention are not of the same race as that in SE China (sinicus), but rather race striatus.

Keep us posted on any progress.


A Large Grass Warbler was found dead this morning near my office in Hong Kong.

It seems likely that our birds are distinct from the birds in N India, as they are seperated by a large distance and have different habitat preferences - our are in hilltop grasslands.

There are very few records from elsewhere in China - just one from Guangxi that I am aware of, although there are also historical records from Hainan. Bearing this in mind is it worth considering a review to see if the S China birds are different from the Indian ones?

If they are different I suspect that its Birdlife conservation status would change (possibly to "data deficient").

My question is: Has any one done DNA work on either of these taxa, or would anyone be interested to do some? We have an opportunity to take material for DNA work with this specimen.

Cheers
Mike

[Hainan]

A Large Grass Warbler was found dead this morning near my office in Hong Kong.

It seems likely that our birds are distinct from the birds in N India, as they are seperated by a large distance and have different habitat preferences - our are in hilltop grasslands.

There are very few records from elsewhere in China - just one from Guangxi that I am aware of, although there are also historical records from Hainan. Bearing this in mind is it worth considering a review to see if the S China birds are different from the Indian ones?

If they are different I suspect that its Birdlife conservation status would change (possibly to "data deficient").

My question is: Has any one done DNA work on either of these taxa, or would anyone be interested to do some? We have an opportunity to take material for DNA work with this specimen.

Cheers
Mike

Good to hear about the Hong Kong record Mike, of course a live bird had been better but still a important record as the Chinese population is quite small and no one really knows how small it is, maybe as small as the low thousands.


I know that a few guys down here on Hainan has done some DNA work on the small Hainan pop recently, however as far as aim updated they only managed to take samples of three adult birds during the period January-July 06 (a extremely poor result), acctually if the samplings had been meet with more sucess a papper would have been published sometime in early 07, however I think they have pushed up this publication, by rumours I have heard that the same guys are planning to survey a bigger area in early 07, hopefully a few more birds will be caught then, however aim sceptical as the few, scattered Hainan pop is very hard to track down these days, however a few populations with a few dozen birds each probably still exist, hopefully the 07 searches will be sucessfully, I will be able to tell more when I have more facts at hand.

[MKinHK]

I know that a few guys down here on Hainan has done some DNA work on the small Hainan pop recently, however as far as aim updated they only managed to take samples of three adult birds during the period January-July 06 (a extremely poor result), acctually if the samplings had been meet with more sucess a papper would have been published sometime in early 07, however I think they have pushed up this publication, by rumours I have heard that the same guys are planning to survey a bigger area in early 07, hopefully a few more birds will be caught then, however aim sceptical as the few, scattered Hainan pop is very hard to track down these days, however a few populations with a few dozen birds each probably still exist, hopefully the 07 searches will be sucessfully, I will be able to tell more when I have more facts at hand.

Here are the pix of the HK bird. The population here is probably relatively stable and secure from major threats, but is confined to grasslands above 400m for breeding, so there is not that much habitat within HK.

Hi Hainan
Your post is very interesting - the first modern record I have heard about from Hainan. I would be very interested in getting in touch with the people doing the work on this species. Would you be able to send me a contact name and email address by private message? I would like to put them in touch with the person doing DNA work on warblers in Hong Kong.